Study Guide for College/Uni

Hello there, fellow bloggers.

Yesterday I was speaking to a friend from college, for the sake of this blog, I’ll call him Tom. So, Tom was worrying about upcoming exams and assignments to be completed this year. During my conversation with Tom, I found some very useful tips which helped ease his panic and frustration, which I would like to share with you. (Side-note: I am currently studying at HND level – equivalent to 1st/2nd year at University)

• Make a list of important tasks to be completed 

Being a student, you will usually have a variety of coursework/homework given out throughout the year, sometimes due within days of each other. Try to prioritise, completing the most important task first. You could set a reminder on your phone or put it into a calendar to make sure that you complete the task with plenty of time to proof-read and edit if necessary.

• Start with the hardest task

I am guilty of putting off a task just because it appeared to be difficult, thus giving myself less time to complete it. If you start with the hardest task, you will be giving yourself sufficient time to complete it and it may not even be as hard as it first seemed – once you get into it. Once you have completed the task, you will feel much more relaxed and at ease because you won’t be stressing over it.

• Don’t put too much pressure on yourself

Don’t worry if you don’t complete a task the day you got it, or all at the one time. Allow yourself plenty of time to complete the task, enabling you to proof-read and make sure it is at a standard you are happy with.

• Make a schedule 

Put aside certain days and times for studying or coursework. For example, if you know that you won’t be doing anything at 7pm on a Tuesday, use that time to get in some revising for a specific subject for even just an hour. You could even design it in a way that suits you – I like to put a reminder on my phone, but you could design a timetable, colour code, whatever works for you. Be sure to leave some time for yourself though!

• Find out which way you learn best

There are many different ways people can learn, such as visual, auditory, reading, etc. Find out which one you are – Play to your strengths. 

• Revise Early 

Ever sit after an exam thinking “If I had just read more about *subject* , I could have written so much more!”  If you start revising early, you will have more time to absorb and understand the material, thus producing a higher mark in your final exam.

• Have regular study breaks 

Studying for large periods of time is useless, after a while your mind will just stop absorbing the large amount of material, which will result in you having to backtrack and read it all again. Regular breaks allow your brain some time to absorb what you were reading and allows you go back with a clear head, ready for more!

• Study group

This can be an excellent idea for people who tend to work better with other people. It allows you to get a variety of different ideas, and enables you to get help with areas you may not be so confident about. It can even make studying fun *gasp*

• Wikipedia 

Whilst many lecturers tell you to avoid Wikipedia like the plague, it can actually be a good source for gaining a general understanding of a topic, or finding some good, credible secondary sources at the references part of the page. Whilst Wikipedia should not be at the top of your “go-to” pages, it does have some benefits.

• Google Scholar

Can’t find that book you need anywhere? Google scholar can be your best friend. It allows you to find and read a whole book online. Whilst on your selected book, there is an option to find the specific area you are looking for by typing in the keywords, saving you from reading every page. Although there may be some books which aren’t available, there are plenty alternatives, so you will usually find what you are looking for.

• Enjoy yourself

Whilst the long days, over-night study sessions and mountain of reading may be stressful, it won’t last forever, so enjoy yourself when you can. Go for those drinks with your classmates, join in on any extra-curricular activities and just enjoy the student life as much as you can. These will be the days that you will miss the most when they are over – so I’ve been told.

All the best,

-simply-me.